Overview
- Reuters, citing three people close to Mojtaba Khamenei’s circle on Saturday, reported severe facial disfigurement and serious leg injuries from the February 28th strike, with him recovering and joining high-level meetings by audio.
- No verified photo, video, or voice of him has surfaced since his March 8 appointment, state TV labeled him a “janbaz” or war-wounded, and social media in Iran circulates the “Where is Mojtaba?” meme.
- U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on March 13 that he was wounded and likely disfigured, and a source familiar with U.S. intelligence told Reuters he is believed to have lost a leg, a detail not independently verified.
- The Revolutionary Guards have become the dominant voice on wartime strategy after helping elevate him, while U.S.–Iran talks in Islamabad proceed with other senior Iranian officials at the table.
- The supreme leader commands the Guards and oversees elected institutions in Iran, so uncertainty over his capacity could shape decisions on the war and any move to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.